A Cake Not Turned by Stephen Nelson Haskell

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Feb 5, 1885

A Cake Not Turned.

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

"Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned." Hos. 7:8.

THIS is a very forcible figure, describing the condition of the people of God at the time these words were written. There are many other expressions used by this prophet which show that they had indulged in sin and formed habits of disobedience until they had no power to turn from their evil ways and maintain principles of righteousness.

The love of God is the same in every age of the world, but there can be nothing stereotyped in the manifestation of that love in laboring for the salvation of those for whom Christ died. The children of Israel, whom the prophet designates as Ephraim, had sinned against God; they had been reproved, and had some desire to serve God, and yet their ways were so set, that there was with them no conforming to God's work unless they could do it in their own way. They could not change their habits of doing evil and learn to do well; they were like the cake unturned—baked brown on one side, but uncooked upon the other. They could serve God in their way, but not in God's way. If God could conform to them and to their evil course, they could be very valiant and devoted in his cause, but if it was necessary for them to change their habits, they were unable to be so.

Another expression is, "Ephraim is also like a silly dove without heart." There are many people to-day very similar to Ephraim, some apparently very good men. They desire to do well, but they have no strength of purpose. They desire to give themselves to the cause of God; they wish to enter the canvassing field or to labor in some other department, but they have formed such characters in their youth, and the circumstances under which they have lived have so moulded them that they cannot adapt themselves successfully to the work of God. They are Christians if they are not interfered with; they can serve God if circumstances are just so favorable; but change the circumstances to bring inconvenience or disappointment, and, seemingly on account of another's sins, they will go to ruin simply because they have no stability of purpose to do God's will, no disposition to conform to his work under varied circumstances. If they go out to canvass they always have a hard field, in fact they can never find an easy field if it is not in harmony with their old ways and old habits.

The servant of God must adapt himself to the needs of the people, those for whom he labors, but individuals who have habits formed so that they cannot conform to circumstances, even though souls may be in the balance and deciding for eternity, will be counted unfaithful servants. Whatever the result, they must retire at a certain hour; they must have things surround them in just such a manner; they cannot sacrifice their own ways, and be moulded according to the will of God and the force of circumstances. When this is the case it is impossible for them to see the worth of the soul and feel its importance.

Others are entirely different; the only question with them is, What is God's will concerning me? How can I best glorify God? Can my labors be accepted? And it is their highest ambition to have their service accepted of God. They have meat to eat which the world knows not of. They will have an interest in the cause of God to that extent that they will forget their own selfish interests. May God give us more such men and less of those who are like Ephraim,—the cake that is not turned.

S. N. HASKELL.